It's certainly in Arizona Basketball's best interest that the NBA draft only has about 60 picks.
The tally of Wildcats who have declared for the 2024 NBA Draft grew very quietly when the NBA released the full list of early entry candidates and presumed 2024-25 starting point guard Jaden Bradley appeared on the first page.
Something interesting (concerning?) to note: Jaden Bradley is on this list. https://t.co/n44U2tKSGH
— ZonaZealotsFS (@ZonaZealots) April 30, 2024
The sophomore spent his freshman year at Alabama as their starting point guard where he played serviceably, but Jahvon Quinerly's rise saw him hitting the transfer portal. He landed at Arizona and spent the 2023-24 season as the sixth man where he did enough to push Kylan Boswell out and earn himself the starting job for the Wildcats.
Unlike KJ Lewis and Caleb Love, whose draft declarations were paired with social media announcements and general fanfare, Bradley took a more subtle approach and has remained quiet in the public eye. On the bright side, it's presumed he'll retain his eligibility.
He'll be evaluating his NBA draft stock and hearing feedback from team scouts, and he's also eligible for the combine if he's invited. However, things don't look very promising for him just yet, and the possibility of him returning to Arizona is a real one.
Four other Wildcats have declared for the 2024 NBA Draft: Lewis and Love with the possibility to return, Pelle Larsson after foregoing his final season, and Keshad Johnson after exhausting his collegiate eligibility. Incoming transfer Trey Townsend from Oakland is also testing the draft waters.
However, Larsson and Johnson are the only ones actually in the draft conversation right now. Arizona and head coach Tommy Lloyd will have to wait until Wednesday, May 29, to get full clarity on the futures of Bradley, Townsend, Love, and Lewis. For now, it's just a waiting game.
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